This is no personal attack on Chris Kelly, and I still think that at the time the Bruins dealt that pick to Ottawa for the veteran center, it was a wise move.

However, in the three weeks since that deal a few things have skewed my positive opinion of the trade. You can start with the fact that a few days after trading for Kelly, the Bruins swung another deal to bring in Rich Peverley from Atlanta.

Since arriving in Boston, Peverley has been taking and winning (61.7 percent) plenty of draws while playing out of position on the wing . To me, Peverley’s presence in addition to that of Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Gregory Campbell and even Tyler Seguin makes Kelly’s would-be contributions redundant on Boston’s roster.

And that leads me to my second point — Kelly’s contributions have been minuscule in comparison to what we were told by Bruins’ brass the pivot would bring to the mix. In nine games prior to tonight’s tilt on Long Island, he has just two assists with the Bruins. We’re not supposed to judge him on points? Well, he has won just 50 percent of his draws. He has blocked seven shots. The penalty kill has succeeded at a respectable, but not amazing, 79.3 percent rate.

The trade from Ottawa to Boston was Kelly’s first in the NHL. He says he’s fitting in well and the guys have welcomed him warmly. So if he’s adjusted fine, there has to be more to his game than what we’ve seen so far.

“I think most people might not notice what I bring to the table,” said Kelly Thursday before he went out and had another point-less game with a minus-1 rating and won just five of 15 faceoffs in the loss to Buffalo. “It’s the little things – winning faceoffs, getting in the shooting lane to block a shot, making the safe play, not necessarily showing up on the score sheet. But if I could chip in here or there, like I said, help the team where I can, that’s me having a good night.”

OK, so maybe I’m still just not noticing it. But it would seem to me that on a Bruins team that requires three lines to be chipping in offensively to succeed, he needs to not only do his little things better but also make his presence felt more around the opposition’s net. Michael Ryder, who Kelly has played with since getting to Boston, needs someone to set him up to be effective, and there generally has to be an impact made by Kelly that Boston couldn’t get from some combination of Seguin and Jordan Caron in their lineup.

As of Thursday morning, head coach Claude Julien seemed content with Kelly’s play and he was anticipating even better performances from Kelly soon.

“I think when you talk about a player [being] reliable, you’ve seen him on the ice late in the games, protecting that lead in the last minute or so. He’s very intelligent, he adapts well to situations,” said Julien. “He’s brought in some speed because he’s a good skater, he’s a hard worker and I think a lot of things. I don’t think we brought him here to be a point-a-game guy, but I also think that as he gets more and more comfortable some of those points will come along. But I have liked what he’s brought to our team.”

Well, Julien has to hope that there’s more to Kelly’s game going forward because he’s going to need him as a veteran presence on the third or maybe fourth line down the stretch and in the postseason. He’s not about to knock a guy that’s been wearing black and gold less than a month.

Had I known when the Bruins made the Kelly trade they would add Peverley three days later, I would’ve had a totally different take on the situation. I saw a need to add a veteran presence down the middle in Marc Savard’s absence behind Bergeron and Krejci. I thought Kelly could be responsible defensively and make more offensive plays to get Ryder, and at the time Blake Wheeler, going again. That initial burst of new-team adrenaline that made Kelly, Peverley and Ryder a fearsome threesome in the early going obviously has worn off.

In retrospect, the Bruins might’ve been wiser to parlay that second-round pick into an extra veteran on the back end. Here they are waiting for the return of Andrew Ference and Steven Kampfer from injury while a guy that hasn’t played since last season — Shane Hnidy — also rehabilitates, and a rookie that’s at least a step or two behind Kampfer in terms of development for the NHL game — Matt Bartkowski — fills in here or there with plays that fall more into the prayer category than the proficient one.

Kelly could turn things around here and be the speedy, gritty threat at both ends of the rink Boston projected on the night of the trade. Maybe we haven’t seen the all-out real Chris Kelly. He has 15 games plus playoffs to make the necessary improvements in his play and validate the trade the brought him here. Otherwise that second-round pick went to waste.

Seguin should be dressed always. As for Recchi, David is right ++. Recchi and Julien’s association goes back a long way and CJ should be able to convince him that he needs to sit out in order to bring what he brings to the team come playoff time.

Even though I think that Kelly is a good player and that he will bring a lot for his new team. I don’t think he is a fit for Ryder and I do think that Chiarelli should have elected for a Chris Kelly with a Stanley Cup ring on his ring finger type of guy and yes the prize was hefty.

Again, Recchi sitting out should not be viewed as a step back but a step forward leading to an enhanced contribution on his part in the playoffs. I think Recchi is man enough to know that this decision is for the better of the team and that being selfish at this point is not in line with the team’s objectives.

This year, the Bruins are a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup run. A Mike Kean type of player would have added in a lot to the Bruins playoff wise.

Claude is a joke.After last year he should of fallen on his own sword for the loss in the playoffs.Not only dissapointed but completly embarrased as a bruin fan.Now he’s taken this kid and sitting him.Which i beleive is because he hasn’t paid his dues.I think claude is a joke and Cam has know idea either.Yah cam knows how to skate shoot and fight what does he know about making hockey decicions .Pallie over seguin you kidding me.If you asked any coach if they could have pallie or seguin on there team which one do you think they would take.but claude is a joke

I think PatrickD has a point, Recchi is still more effective than anyone else on the 3rd and 4th lines, but a night off against a bad team could do him some good. I’d rather have him sit a regular season game or two and have the real recchin’ ball during the playoffs than a tired one who is not as effective as he would be otherwise.

isnt he the same thing as trent whitfield? same exact player.. except whitfield cost a whole lot less. oh and they didnt have to give up a second round pick for whitfield.. i always though whitfield busted his ass every second he was on the ice and it seemed to mostly make up for his lack of skill . that being said.. kelly does give it everything he has, or atleast it looks that way and i really like to root for those type of guys.. and after writing all this a simple solution popped into my mind.. BRING BACK VLADDY !

@Craig…I am not saying sit him for good just a game or two as I thought he looked tired. The comment about me being tired was meant to be funny. But duly noted…Craig. Now my feelings are hurt. I’m telling Matt.

PatrickD… you’re right, you should be shot. He lacks speed, size and is 43 years old but makes up for it by being in position at all times. He has fought this year and almost did again last night, 10 goals- 25 pts. or so, was right in the middle of all the dust-ups against MTL and you want him sat. Just because you’re old and tired from sitting at a desk (which is pathetic) doesn’t mean Mark Recchi is. A solid contributor even at 43.

I am probably going to shot for saying this…but is it time that CJ thought about sitting Recchi for a game or three? he played OK last night but he seems tired and a little lost out there. And he is the same age as me and I’m tired all the time…and I sit at a desk for a living.

At this point I’d rather see Seguin on the ice. I don’t really care if the scratch Kelly or Paille, but Seguin should be on the 3rd line (he actually had good chemistry with Ryder earlier in the season) and let Kelly make his “smart decisions” on the 4th line.

I’m with you on your assessment on Kelly thus far. The only thing I’ve really noticed is he seems to always be the first forward back on the backcheck and he’s flubbed a few good chances to bury one (namely the sick feed from Peverley a few games back). I’m just hoping he can get some more points down the stretch and be an effective player come play offs.